AN INTRODUCTION TO GREAT TRIBULATION
05-10-15 This message may be viewed live streaming video at www.tabernacleofmoses.org commencing today Sunday at 11:00am, and repeated 24/7 for one week; thereafter, the audio and notes without video are archived.
The depth of our revelations depends upon the correctness of our doctrine.
PROPHECY OF THE SEVEN YEAR TRIBULATION
(Judg 6:1-6) And the children of Israel [a type and shadow of America] did evil in the sight of the LORD: and the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years [1,2]. And the hand [Heb: power] of Midian prevailed against Israel [i.e., Midian ruled (dominated) Israel for seven years]: and because of the Midianites [various eastern peoples (modern day Moslems) assembled into a vast ragged army] the children of Israel made them [selves] the dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds [“Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites” Judg 6:11, and the angel of the LORD said unto him, “The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour” Judg 6:12]. And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites [Heb: a son of Abraham /// brawling, contentious, discord, strife] came up, and the Amalekites [Heb: descendants of Esau], and the children of the east [Heb: nomadic tribes of Arabians], even they came up against them; And they encamped against them, and destroyed the increase of the earth, till thou come unto Gaza, and left no sustenance [Heb: victuals (food)] for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass [not only did the Midianites and their cattle eat all the crop food of Israel, but they also ate the Israelite cattle (meat)]. For they came up with their cattle and their tents [unwilling to be assimilated], and they came as grasshoppers for multitude; for both they and their camels were without number: and they entered into the land [willing] to destroy it [the underlying agenda of their activities]. And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites; and the children of Israel cried unto the LORD.
(Gen 16:11,12) And the angel of the LORD said unto her [Hagar, Sarai’s Egyptian maid], Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael [Abram’s eldest son]; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction. And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.
Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary: Mohammed claimed Ishmael [rather than Isaac] as his ancestor, as do most Arabs.
THE ENDING OF THE FIRST THREE YEARS AND SIX MONTHS OF TRIBULATION
(1 Kings 18:41,42) And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink [i.e., irony: continue to live as you have been living, enjoy it while you can]; for there is a sound of abundance of rain [for the end is near]. So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees [praying and worshiping God, in direct contrast to Ahab],
(Mat 24:37-39) But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
(1 Kings 18:43-46) And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea [a biblical symbol of humanity]. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times. And it came to pass at the seventh time [plus the first time equals eight times, symbolic of “a new beginning”], that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea [of humanity], like a man's hand [ref. the Hand Ministry: Eph 4:11,12] [1]. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain [that is coming] stop thee not. And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind [the opening of the 6th seal: Rev 6:12-17; 7:1-17], and there was a great rain [“the words of the LORD” Amos 8:11, returning from heaven in “a strong people set in battle array”Joel 2:1-11]. And Ahab rode [empowered by natural power], and went to Jezreel. And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah [lifting, certainly strengthing him]; and he girded up his loins [to run, but also an act of preparing to enter into warfare], and ran [empowered by supernatural power] before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
(Mat 24:30,31) And then shall appear the sign [“a man’s hand” 1 Kings 18:44] of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven [“Behold, he cometh with clouds” Rev 1:7] with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet [ref. the fifth feast of Jehovah paralleling the fifth seal in Revelation: The Feast of Trumpets: Lev 23:23-25 & “a sound” 1 Kings 8:41], and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
ENTERING INTO THE SECOND PHASE OF THREE YEARS AND SIX MONTHS OF TRIBULATION
“THE GREAT TRIBULATION”
(1 Kings 19:1,2) And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets [the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of the groves “which eat a Jezebel’s table” 1 Kings 18:19] with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods [idolatry] do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time.
Commentary: According to The Nelson Study Bible, “Ahab is generally recognized as the most evil king in the history of Israel.” As such, King Ahab is clearly a type and shadow of The Antichrist. Please note that King Ahab was married to Queen Jezebel.
Commentary: According to Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary, “Jezebel was a tyrant who corrupted her husband, as well as the nation [Isreal], by promoting pagan worship. She was reared in Sidon (also spelled Zidon), a commercial city on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, known for its idolatry and vice. The wicked idolatrous queen soon became the power behind the throne.” Not coincidentally, Sidon (Zidon) was also the home of the widow woman in Isaiah chapter 17, the chapter in this eschatological prophetic series that commences three years and six months of no rain (Isa 17:1; Luke 4:25,26; James 5:17,18) and of drought and famine (“of hearing the words of the LORD” Amos 8:11).
(Rev 2:20-22) Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee [the church in Thyatira], because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication [Gk: harlotry, fig. idolatry], and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. (Rev 2:22) Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation [one of the three biblical mentions of “great tribulation” Mat 24:21; Rev 7:14; Rev 2:22], except they repent of their deeds.
Commentary: “Jezebel” is mentioned in context (association) with “great tribulation.” It begins to appear that Jezebel is a type and shadow of “the abomination of desolation” (Mat 24:15), contemporarily soon to be manifested as a woman who has assumed the highest most powerful secular office in the world, the President of the United States, which office will then be at enmity with and direct opposition to the highest most powerful spiritual office in the world, the High Priest “after the order of Melchisedec.” (Psa 110:4; Heb 5:6). Accordingly, her election will commence the “great tribulation.” Hence, “Then… flee” (Mat 24:16).
Commentary: Elijah is (sometimes) a type and shadow of Jehovah God. (1 Kings 18:36).
(1 Kings 19:3,4) And when he saw that [Heb: discerned, perceived] [understood Queen Jezebel’s threat], he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba [considered the southern extremity of the Promised Land, a goodly distance (about 150 miles) south of the northern city of Jezreel], which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there [for his servant’s safety]. But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.
The Full Life Study Bible: “he arose, and went for his life” = Elijah’s expression of faith and the supernatural victories in ch. 18 were followed by fear, a flight for his life, and discouragement – all results of Jezebel’s intention to destroy his life. Since Elijah had received no word from the Lord to remain in Jezreel [technically near, in the vicinity of Jezreel: No where does the Bible say Elijah entered into Jezreel], to have stayed would have been to risk his life unnecessarily. His [eventual] destiny was Mount Horeb (i.e., Mount Sinai).
(Mat 24:15-21) When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
Amen